(Washington D.C.) The nation’s corn and soybean harvests continued to lag behind their respective five-year averages as of Oct. 4, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service’s weekly Crop Progress report released Monday.
Dry, sunny weather and warmer temperatures across much of the Plains, Midwest and Southeast should help improve field conditions and accelerate crop drying this week. However, another round of rain and colder temperatures could move into the region next week, according to DTN Ag Meteorologist John Baranick.
NASS reported that 83% of the nation’s corn crop had reached maturity, in line with the five-year average.
Corn harvest reached 23% nationally as of Oct. 4, 4 percentage points behind the five-year average of 27%.
DTN Lead Analyst Rhett Montgomery said the impact of a historically wet second half of September across the Midwest was reflected in this week’s numbers. Iowa and Nebraska, in particular, remained well behind their normal harvest pace for early October.
Of the corn remaining in fields, 54% was rated good to excellent, down from 57% the previous week. The portion rated very poor to poor increased to 18%, compared with 17% a week earlier.
Montgomery noted that corn condition ratings declined notably in both Iowa and Nebraska.
NASS reported that 85% of soybeans had dropped leaves, 2 percentage points behind the five-year average of 87%.
Soybean harvest was 25% complete as of Sunday, trailing the five-year average of 33% by 8 percentage points.
Montgomery said soybean harvest moved slowly nationwide following a particularly wet week. Iowa had harvested just 5% of its soybean crop, compared with a five-year average of 38% for this point in the season. Nebraska also remained significantly behind its normal pace.
NASS rated 57% of the soybean crop good to excellent, down 1 percentage point from 58% the previous week.
Montgomery said soybean conditions also deteriorated in Iowa and Nebraska as excessive moisture continued to affect fields.
